September 15, 2021
Heal Our Healers Event
Healthcare workers face an increased risk of mental illness, substance abuse and suicide – an issue the pandemic has made even worse. In the U.S., we lose 400 physicians to suicide each year, and studies suggest the rate of suicide in nurses is even higher.
To bring greater awareness to this issue, MN Mental Health Advocates hosted an event at the Minnesota State Capitol on Sept. 16, from 7 to 9 p.m. The purpose of the gathering – called “Protecting the Mental Health of Our Healthcare Workers – was to raise the voices of healthcare workers and honor those lost to and impacted by physician suicide.
At the event, Michelle Wenner Chestovich, MD, family physician, spoke to honor her sister, Gretchen Wenner Butler, MD, who died of suicide on March 5, 2021. The event also featured healthcare workers, mental health advocates and people who support the effort.
For more information and resources, visit: www.mnmha.org.
National Physician Suicide Awareness Day is September 17th. If you find yourself struggling, having thoughts of suicide, or want to learn how to continue these conversations, visit Vital Signs.
